Chinese and U.S. climate envoys held talks in Beijing on Monday, as reported by Chinese state-run media. The resumption of dialogue signifies a renewed effort to promote bilateral cooperation on climate change, showcasing an improvement in ties between the two nations.
The meeting brought together Chinese climate envoy Xie Zhenhua and his U.S. counterpart John Kerry, representing the world’s two largest greenhouse gas emitters.
The discussions took place in the context of accelerating talks between Beijing and Washington, with the goal of arranging a summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden later this year.
The U.S. State Department has stated that Kerry’s objective is to engage with China on addressing the climate crisis and to promote the success of the upcoming U.N. climate meeting scheduled for November and December in the United Arab Emirates.
During the talks, Kerry reportedly emphasized the importance of China reducing its reliance on coal power and decreasing emissions of heat-trapping gases such as methane and carbon dioxide.
Kerry’s visit to Beijing, which spans four days until Wednesday, follows recent visits by other senior U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.
Bilateral exchanges on climate change were previously suspended after Nancy Pelosi, the then U.S. House of Representatives Speaker, visited Taiwan in August last year, leading to strong protests from Beijing.
In a separate development, China’s top diplomat Wang Yi met with Blinken in Indonesia last week, during which both sides agreed to maintain open channels of communication.
Additionally, Beijing and Washington have been making arrangements for a visit to China by Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, as reported by Chinese state-run media.
The resumption of talks between Chinese and U.S. climate envoys, the ongoing high-level visits, and the establishment of open communication channels indicate a positive trajectory in the relationship between the two countries, particularly in the context of addressing climate change and environmental challenges.
